A collection of newspaper briefs describing the acquisition of land in 1910-1912 for the construction of the Midland Pennsylvania Railroad.
Two disputed cases are noted: (1) The area of the Cummings Farm; and (2) The area of Aaron Feidt’s Farm.
These news briefs include land obtained for railroad use only, e.g., stations, yards, service facilities, right of way for tracks, etc., but do not include plots of land purchased for experimental or demonstration farms or land purchased for industrial development.
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From the Philadelphia Inquirer, 23 June 1910, as part of an article describing how local [Philadelphia] capitalists were financially backing the new railroad:
The company has already acquired the right of way and large freight yards and terminals at Millersburg, besides station sites along the line. Connections will be made at Millersburg with the Northern Central Railroad, and at Ashland with the Lehigh Valley and Reading….
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, 31 October 1910, in an article on men beginning to work on the railroad at Millersburg:
Agents of the company made settlement with the property owners on North Market Street [Millersburg], Friday, the properties to be vacated within the next sixty days….
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From the Harrisburg Patriot, 30 December 1910:
Six Tracts of Land Transferred
Six deeds were recorded at the court house yesterday transferring land to the Midland Pennsylvania Railroad Company, which is constructing a railroad in the Lykens Valley. The deeds were given by the following: W. E. Harrington and H.I. Silliman, trustees; Benton P. Heagley and wife; Jacob C. Lebo and wife; B. W. Holtzman and wife; George W. Weaver and wife; Charles Dreibelbis and wife.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, 12 January 1911:
Mr. Geise is at present in this vicinity settling claims for the Midland Railroad.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, 28 January 1911, in an article on Central Pennsylvania real estate review:
The old Commonwealth mill property, at Millersburg, a four-story frame structure, was sold at public sale by the Midland Pennsylvania Railroad Company to John Hartman, of Berrysburg, for $230. Mr. Hartman will raze the building and removed the lumber to Berrysburg.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, 6 February 1911:
RAILROAD SEEKS TO CONDEMN LAND
Midland Company Begins Action to Obtain Upper Paxton Tract
Preliminary steps incident to the condemnation of some property in Upper Paxton Township by the MIdland Pennsylvania Railroad Company were taken this morning in motion court when the filing of the petition of the company was directed and next Monday morning fixed for the hearing.
Assistant District Attorney M. E. Stroup and J. U. Moyer, of the Schuylkill County Bar, represented the railroad company in asking that the company’s bond for surety against damages done the property in question be filed and proper steps incident to the condemnation of the land be permitted. The land comprises nearly four and a half acres owned by A. G. Howard Cummings. The Midland Company offers a bond of $5,000 to secure the owners against damages. Ex-Judge M. W. Jacobs represents the railroad company [sic].
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From the Harrisburg Patriot, 7 February 1911:
PROPERTY OWNERS OBJECT TO BOND TENDERED BY RAILROAD
Midland Pennsylvania Railroad Company Wants to Take Some Land in Upper Paxton Township
The Midland Pennsylvania Railroad Company, a corporation intending to construct a railway through the Upper Paxton Township, was represented in court yesterday morning by attorneys Michael W. Stroup and J. U. Moyer, the later of the Schuylkill County Bar. There is a disagreement between the railway company and A. G. Cummings and Howard Cummings in regard to about four and one half acres of land which will be taken by the railroad company for the construction of their tracks. M. W. Jacobs represents the land owners. A bond which was tendered the land owners was not accepted and a petition has been filed in the matter which will be returnable at next Monday’s session of court. The bond which is given in the sum of $5,000 was that of the Pacific Coast Casualty Company, and the reasons for disapproving the bond will be heard at the proceedings next Monday.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, 14 February 1911:
BOND OF RAILROAD COMPANY OFFERED
Argument on Midland Petition to Condemn Land Is Heard Today
Argument on the petition of the Midland Pennsylvania Railroad for permission to begin the condemnation of the properties of A. G. Cummings and Howard Cummings, Millersburg, over whose lands the company wants right of way, was heard today before Judge Kunkel. Assistant District Attorney Stroup, associated with the railroad company’s counsel, presented the bond of the company for $5,000, with the Pacific Coast Casaulty Company as surety, to cover the damages incident to the laying of tracks. Ex-Judge M. W. Jacobs, counsel for the Cummings, objected generally to the form of the bond.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, 23 May 1911:
Citizen Defends Action in Person
For the first time in many years a citizen appeared before the Dauphin County Court this morning and argued in a civil action without the assistance of counsel, when Aaron Feidt, a farmer of Upper Paxton Township, made formal protest to the amount of the bond filed by the Midland Pennsylvania Railroad in eminent domain proceedings against his property.
Feidt was one of four farmers, all of whom live along the contemplated right of way of the new railroad, and whose properties are the last which have not been either bought or acquired by eminent domain proceedings. As soon as the matter is settled the excavations for the road my go ahead.
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From the Harrisburg Patriot, 24 May 1911:
FARMER TURNS LAWYER IN COURT
Upper Paxton resident Disputes With Railroad Attorney Over Damages
DISPUTE OVER COWS
Argument court was featured yesterday by Aaron Feidt, an Upper Paxton farmer, pleading his own case without legal guidance in an effort to prevent the approval of bonds of the Midland Pennsylvania Railroad Company to cover damages alleged to be caused by them in seizing land in Berrysburg by right of eminent domain.
Samuel Clark, John Keboch and Grant Hartman, three other farmers who will also be affected by the company taking their property, were in court too, but they were represented by William H. Middleton.
The Midland Company is building a road from Millersburg to Ashland. Some farmers have resisted the project. The railroad company has taken land wherever necessary by exercising the right of eminent domain. Bonds to cover the amount of damages must first be filed in court.
Here is where the land owners take exceptions, claiming that the bond filed was not sufficiently large to cover damages. H. L. Lark, who represented the railroad company, announced that a clause had been inserted in the bonds proving that if the amount of the bonds proved insufficient to cover the amount of damages additional bonds would be filed.
Feidt, in stating his case, said: “The line cuts me off from a watering place for my cattle. It will go close beside my house, cutting off the run entirely. After the rails are laid the watering place would not be safe and unfit for use. I think that there are other places where they could make the turn so as not to separate me from the run.”
The bond was approved. One and one-third acres of Feidt’s land will be condemned by the company.”
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From the Elizabethville Echo, 25 May 1911:
Pleased His Own Case
Aaron Feidt, of Upper Paxton Township pleaded his own case in argument Court in Harrisburg on Tuesday. The Midland Pennsylvania Railroad has seized lands by right of eminent domain, belonging to Mr. Feidt.
The Company filed bonds to cover damages alleged to be caused by them, and Mr. Feidt made an effort to present the approval of the bonds.
Mr. Feidt said that the railroad would cut him off from a watering place for his cattle, because after the rails are laid, the watering place would not be safe and unfit for use.
The bond was approved. One and one third acres of Feidt’s land will be condemned by the Company.
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From the West Schuylkill Herald, 30 June 1911, in the “Sacramento Shorts” column:
The Midland Pennsylvania Railroad sold the D. E. Artz farm which they recently purchased to the Lykens Valley Development Company, retaining the right of way for their new railroad. The Development Company intends to make this a branch of the Demonstration Farm.
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From the West Schuylkill Herald, 28 July 1911, from the “Hegins News” column:
It is not true that the Midland Railroad Company purchased Oliver Savidge’s farm. They could not agree. Mr. Bachman, superintendent of the new railroad, was around here looking up options. They say we will get a depot on the Herb farm. Hope it is true. We need one.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, 1 August 1911, in the obituary of Capt. Albert Gallatin Cummings:
Moves to Farm
Eighteen years ago he changed his residence to Millersburg, where he had an eighty-eight acre farm, and has since resided there. The Northern Central and the new Midland Pennsylvania Railroads pass through his farm.
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From the West Schuylkill Herald, 4 August 1911, in the “Sacramento Shorts” column:
The Right of Way Commission of the Midland Pennsylvania Railroad has been at work here. Terms of sale have been arranged with all the landowners in this section over whose lands the proposed railroad will run with the exception of one. The commission experiences very little trouble here.
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From the West Schuylkill Herald, 11 August 1911, in the “Hegins News” column:
For several weeks past representatives of the Midland Railroad Company have been buying up right’s of way and farms through which the proposed railroad will run….
The farm of the late Henry Sheib consisting of about 80 acres, news barn and a dwelling has been sold to the Midland Railway Company for $4000.
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From the West Schuylkill Herald, 11 August 1911, in the “West End Deeds” column:
From Eliza A. Phillips to Midland Pennsylvania Railroad, land in Gordon.
From John H. Martin and wife to Midland Pennsylvania Railroad, strip of land 50 feet wide on Elm Street, Gordon.
From Andrew J. Sullivan and wife to Midland Pennsylvania Railroad, strip 60 feet wide on Elm Street, Gordon.
From Mary Sullivan to Midland Pennsylvania Railroad, land in Gordon.
From Nathan Zerbe and wife to Midland Pennsylvania Railroad, premises in Gordon.
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From the Harrisburg Daily Independent, 14 August 1911:
Condemnation proceedings by the Midland Pennsylvania Railroad against Isaac B. Tresler, of Lykens Township, were begun by H. L. Lark, counsel for the railroad. The company which is building a 43 mile line in the upper part of the county, offered Tressler $200 for his land, but he refused to consider it.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, 14 August 1911, as part of an article on court motions:
Another section of ground through which the Midland Pennsylvania Railroad is to extend in Lykens Township is to be condemned. This is a little more than two acres owned by James B. Bressler and $400 was the amount of the bond offered by the company to cover condemnation. H. L. Lark offered the company’s bond.
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From the Harrisburg Patriot, 15 August 1911:
MIDLAND ASKS FOR MORE LAND
Start Court Proceedings to Condemn Property of Lykens Man
H. L. Lark, counsel for the Midland Pennsylvania Railroad Company, yesterday began condemnation proceedings against land of Isaac B. Tressler, of Lykens, for the railroad. The railroad company is building a line forty-three miles long through the upper end of the county, and has offered Tressler $200 for the ground as right of way. He refused and the company authorized the institution of the proceedings.
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From the Harrisburg Daily Independent, 15 September 1911, in the “Gratz News” column:
Reports are that local people are about to close the purchase of the ten-acre plot of ground on which the railroad company expects to erect a roundhouse and car shops.
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From the Harrisburg Daily Independent, 17 November 1911:
In addition to a demonstration farm, which is locate west of Springville, the Midland Pennsylvania Railroad Company is to have a model orchard, the farm of Alfred Hoy, northeast of Millersburg, having been purchased for that purpose. It is located near the beginning of the line.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, 18 November 1911, in an article on news from Berrysburg:
The land in dispute between John Keboch and the Midland Railroad was settled at the St. Lawrence Hotel, on Tuesday. Several witnesses were present.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, 19 November 1911, in an article describing a farm purchase made by W. E. Harrington, of Philadelphia, president of the Midland Pennsylvania Railroad Company:
Killinger, Pennsylvania, 10 November – The farm purchased from the Alfred Hoy estate by the Midland Pennsylvania Railroad Company as a right of way on which to build the railroad was lately sold to W. W. Harrington… at a private sale….
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, 24 November 1911:
Philadelphia people have chartered the Lykens Valley Reality Company to develop the land along the Midland Railroad, which is being built through the upper end of this county. The company has a capital of $5,000, the incorporators being ex-Judge Dimner Beeber, George B. Wells and J. A. McKee, all of Philadelphia.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, 5 January 1912, in the classified ad section:
FOR SALE OR EXCHANGE — I have five acres of desirable land at Gratz, suitable for Building Lots or Trucking, right at the Growing end of the town. The New Midland Pennsylvania Railroad runs through center of property, This acreage is the remainder of a 40-acre tract I developed and sold successfully as a sub-division to the town of Gratz last September. Through part of tract is a valuable clay deposit pronounced by an expert as containing best quality of clay for bricks. Also never-failing spring included. WHAT HAVE YOU TO OFFER FOR EXCHANGE? Will pay cash difference on improved property. A. C. Young, Real Estate, 26 North Third Street, Harrisburg.
Note 1: The ad also appeared in subsequent editions of the Harrisburg Telegraph, including on 14 February 1912 and 17 February 1912.
Note 2: Reference made here to Westmont, a development at the west end of Gratz. see:
Gratz – Sale of Westmont Lots, 1911 – “No Lots Sold to Colored People”
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From the West Schuylkill Herald, 21 June 1912, in the “West End Deeds” column:
Howard Wiest and wife to the Midland Pennsylvania Railroad, one half acre of land in Hubley Township.
Daniel Umholtz and wife to Midland Pennsylvania Railroad, piece of ground in Hubley Township.
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News articles from Newspapers.com and on-line resources of the Free Library of Philadelphia.
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